The Federal Government has recovered N11.6 billion through the efforts of 20 whistle blowers. Director of Information, in the Ministry of Finance, Salisu Dambatta disclosed this in a statement released today. The whistle blowers were paid N634 million as their percentage of the recovered funds. According to the draft whistle blowing policy, whistle blowers are entitled to between 2.5-5% of recovered funds.
News like this may encourage individuals who were hitherto hesitant to offer information on stolen funds. Mr Danbatta who also said that the act was being amended to provide protection to whistle blowers, refused to mention the individual recoveries. Whistle blowing also has its downside, when the information turns out to be false. Mr Ahmed Echoda the whistle-blower who gave false information as regards money in Senator Ike Ekweremadu’s guest house has been charged to court by the Nigerian Police Force. One of his
Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun had in December 2016 instituted a whistle blowing policy to encourage transparency and accountability in the public sector. The government also plans to present the policy as a bill before the National Assembly. Corruption was one of the cardinal issues President Muhammadu Buhari promised to tackle if elected into office.
